Flower trader eying oversees market

  1. Posted on Friday 27 June 2008 - 15:25
    Benkam
    Image of Benkam
    Elisabeth Benkam, VoicesofAfrica mobile reporter in Yaounde, Cameroon
    Thierry Ondoua, a flower trader at the newly opened flower market in Yaounde is gathering ideas and funds to start exporting his flower to Western markets.
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    “When I finished my university studies, I could not find a job. I joined a friend in the flower trade”, he says. He owns one of the twenty shops in the market and is proud of his achievement in the last years.

    “Now I can say that I got a bargain because I have already built my house, I can take care of my wife and our three children, I can help my nephews and nieces who are students at university, my parents and others”, says Ondoua.

    He is aware that once one achieves success locally, he needs to go a step further to expand business. At the same time, he knows that expansion means more funds, which is currently the subject of his thoughts.

    In the last years, Cameroonians have been showing more and more interest in flowers, which pushed local authorities to turn the sector into a lucrative and organised business.

    The mayor of the capital Yaounde, Gilbert Tsimi Evouna, created a special market for natural flowers in the city, where flowers from all Cameroon are sold. Most of the clients are women who buy natural flowers to offer at different occasions, joyful or sorrowful..

    “I offer flowers during the military promotion ceremonies”, says Claudine. She likes natural flowers as compared to artificial ones because they are livelier and more real.

    Depending on the size of the bunch, flowers cost between 500 FCFA and 60 000 FCFA (¤0,76 and ¤ 91)

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